Express To Close 31 Stores This Month, Including In Michigan

MICHIGAN — Fashion retailer Express will close 31 stores by the end of the month, including two stores in Michigan, the company announced.

The retailer plans to close stores in 20 states, a move that follows the closure of nine locations in 2019, according to this week’s announcement. An additional 35 locations are expected to close by the end of January 2021, leaving a remaining 25 to shutter next year, Business Insider reports.

In Michigan, Express plans to close these locations by month’s end:

• Midland:Midland Mall, 6800 Eastman Ave.
• Okemos: Meridian Mall, 1982 W Grand River Ave.

Express has 10 locations around Metro Detroit, including at Somerset, Laurel Park Place, Lakeside Mall, Fairlane Town Center and the Mall at Partridge Creek.

The closures are part of a new corporate strategy aimed at reducing costs and providing a boost to the struggling brand, according to a statement on the company’s website.

Express is one of several companies to announce closures this month. The well-known stationery store Papyrus is closing all of its stores across the country. Also this month, home decor retailer Pier 1 Imports said it plans to close nearly half of its stores, a move intended to "better align its business with the current operating environment."